Efficient Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm for Solving Transportation, Assignment, and Transshipment Problems

Abstract

This paper presents an efficient genetic algorithm for solving multiobjective transportation problem, assignment, and transshipment Problems. The proposed approach integrates the merits of both genetic algorithm (GA) and local search (LS) scheme. The algorithm maintains a finite-sized archive of non-dominated solutions which gets iteratively updated in the presence of new solutions based on clustering algorithm. The use clustering algorithm makes the algorithms practical by allowing a decision maker to control the resolution of the Pareto set approximation. To increase GAs’ problem solution power, local search technique is implemented as neighborhood search engine where it intends to explore the less-crowded area in the current archive to possibly obtain more nondominated solutions. The inclusion of local search and clustering algorithm speeds-up the search process and also helps in obtaining a fine-grained value for the objective functions. Finally, we report numerical results in order to establish the actual computational burden of the proposed algorithm and to assess its performances with respect to classical approaches for solving MOTP.